Railway highway-vehicle carrier



May 23, 1939.

RAILWAY HIGHWAY-VEHICLE CARRIER Filed Nov. 17, 1937 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 i In ven for-5 ear 6 c)". 0004);

G. s. oonwm ET AL ,479

May 23, 1939.

RAILWAY HIGHWAY-VEHICLE CARRIER Filed NOV. 17, 1937 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 y 3, 1939. G. s. Gooowm n AL 2,159,479

RAILWAY HIGHWAY- VEHICLE CARRIER Filed Nov. 17, 1937 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Gray In van 70/15 e d faaa nm ear 5%? 3 y 23, 1939- G. s. GOODWIN :rr AL RAILWAY HIGHWAY-VEHICLE CARRIER I Filed Nov. 17, 1937 e Sheets-Sheet 5 mif mM%/ QE mm H n H H z In yen fans Gear 6 5 $000411 6/ J55 y 1939- G. s. GOODWIN ET AL 79.

RAILWAY HIGHWAY-VEHICLE CARRIER Filed Nov. 1'7, 1957 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 In" as! r ll g f/Wen fora, Gee/ye 5. Qua/Wm AE// Mas Patented May 23, 1939 PATENT OFFICE 2,159,479 RAILWAY HIGHWAY-VEHICLE CARRIER George S. Goodwin and Peter Kass, Chicago, Ill.

Appl cation Novemb r 17 1. 37, S alNo- 175,010

6 Claims.

This invention relates to railway r lli g stock and particularly to cars tor transporting vehicles operable on highways either under their own power oras trailers to be drawn by trucks r s tractors. v e 1 Such vehicles are used to pick up a load and transport it from point of origin to a convenient railroad terminal and there the vehicle is run on to a railway car, then forwarded by the railway car to another terminal where the vehicle is transferred to the highway to deliver its load to destination.

Among the problems encountered in such sys tem of transportation is the movement oi trailer endwise of the car. either from one-car to another or from or onto loading platiorms or ramps adjacent the end of the car. This movement of the vehicles will take place usually at ra road terminals Where a plurality of cars will have a plurality of trailers movable into position thereon. One of the objects of the present invention is to facilitate movement or a highway vehicle from one car to another. 1

Another object of the invention is to ade- 5 quatel supportthe body of the highway vehicl directly from the floor of the railway car thereby relieving the vehicle landing gear of the load during transportation by rail.

In attaining this object we providean upstanding vehicle supporting structure and it is a further object of the invention toconstruct such a support so that if it is left in functioning position when there is no trailer on the car, the suppor will not interfere with the movement of a trailer on to the car. V

. Another object of the invention is to secure the trailer against movement longitudinally of the carrier and it is preferable that the vehicle securing means be adjustable longitudinally of the carrier to accommodate different lengths of vehicles and different diameters of wheels.

' Another object o! the invention is to facilitate the anchoring of the vehicle to the carrier.

These and other detailed objects of the inventlon are attained 'by the structures illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a top viewof arailway car embodying the invention a portion of an adjacent car and the connecting apron being shown.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the structure shown in Figure 1 with two highway trailers in position thereon. o

t Figure .3 is an end view of the carrier with a vehicle mountedthereon and showing in section the apron intended to connect the carrier with an adjacent ca r er- Figure 4 is a vertical transverse detail section taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a horizontal detail section taken on the line 5 of Figure 3.

Figure 6 is a vertical transverse detail section taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 1.

Figure 7 is a section through the same structureshowing the parts in a different position.

Figure 7a is a detailed top view of parts shown in Figure '7.

Figure 8 is a detail section taken substantially on the line 88 of Figure 6.

Figure 9 is a, longitudinal section through a portion of the car floor showing in side elevation a detail of a device for arresting movement of the vehicle longitudinally of the carrier.

Figure 10is an end elevation of the same.

F ure 11 is a top view of one corner of a car embodying modifications of the structures shown in Figures l to 10, parts of the structure being broken away to' show the remaining parts on a larger scale.

' Fi ures 132, 15, 16 and 17 are detail sections taken on the corresponding section lines of Figure 11, Figure 17, however, showing the parts in a different position than that occupied in Figum 11. v

. figures 13 and 14 are detail sections taken on i the corresponding section lines of Figure 12.

Figure 18 is a side elevation of the jack shown in Figure. 11. I

Figure 19 is an end elevation of the structure shown in Figure 1 Flgilre 20 is a longitudinal vertical section through the end of the car shown in Figure 11 and the corresponding portions of an adjacent car and the-interconnecting platform plate with the supporting structure shown in elevation except for a small portion which is sectioned for clearer illustration.

Figure 21 is a transverse vertical section taken approximately on the line 2 -2l of Figure 20 but showing "the supporting bracket moved to a difierent position.

Figure 22 isa top view 01' a modified vehiclearresting structure.

Figures 23, 24, and 26 are detail sections taken on the corresponding section lines of Figure 22. Figure 25 is a detail section taken on the line 2525 of Figure 23.

The car illustrated has the general appearance of an ordinary flat car and includes side sills I, end sills 2, and a floor .3. Pockets 4 at intervals along sills I receive stakes 6 which carry stringers 1 forming safety guards or retainers for the highway vehicle wheels 8.

The entire floor may be covered by steel plates 9 or restricted portions only of the floor beneath the normal position of the highway wheels 8 may be provided with plates 9.

An apron is provided at one end of each car and comprises a plate l0 preferably hinged to the end sill by U-bolts as indicated at H (Figure 1) and movable from the upright position shown at the left hand end of Figure 2 to the horizontal position indicated at the right handend of Figure 1 and in Figure 3. Plate l0 may be reinforced by angular elements l2 and I3 extending lengthwise of the car and also by a transverse member I 4 preferably arranged to rest upon the head or shank of a coupler structure l5 which will be carried in or from the end sill in the usual manner. Additional support for the apron is provided by brackets [6 here shown as slidable through recesses I! provided in end sill 2 and each arranged to be retained in projected position or in retracted position by a latch l8 pivotally suspended from the sill and adapted to be engaged by one or more stops l9 projecting laterally from the bracket I6.

When in projected position, the outer edge of each bracket is received in a recess in the end sill 2a. of an adjacent vehicle. A channel-like track 35 is secured to end sill 2 and extends inwardly therefrom to support bracket l6 when the same is retracted.

During loading or unloading of the car, the brackets will be extended and the apron will be lowered and supported by the brackets and from the car end sill and coupler structure as well as by the adjacent platform or car end. When the vehicles have been loaded upon the car, the apron will be raised and held in raised position by a latch 20 pivoted on an upright stake'2l.

Near one end of the car and also near the center of the car, plate 9 and the top floor section are cut away as indicated at 22 (Figures 6 and 7) and a plate 23 forms the bottom of each recess. A vehicle supporting jack, comprising a body member 24 and a screw threaded extension 25, has a base plate 26 which rests upon plate 23 to stably support the jack structure in functioning position. A dowel 21 on the bottom of plate 26 may be inserted in any selected one of a number of openings 28 in plate 23 to position the jack as desired longitudinally of the car. Gussets 32 brace member 24 and plate 26. A pair of spaced Z-bars 29 are secured to the edges of plate 23 and the inturned upper flanges of Z- bars 29 cooperate with plate 23 to form spaced guides for blocks 30. A rod 3| having its end secured to blocks 30 passes through one of the gusset plates 32 to hinge the jack structure to the floor.

When a vehicle is placed upon the car, the jack is raised to upright position and extended until it engages the framing 33 of the vehicle and relieves the trailer landing gear 34 of the weight of the vehicle and its load.v If a vehicle being moved onto the car strikes a jack which has been left upstanding, the jack will pivot on its hinge 3Il3l and be thrown to the floor, as indicated in Figure 7. If it ispreferred that the jack be held upright, one or more pawls 26 a may be pivotally mounted on plate 26 and, when the jack is upright, may be rotated as indicated in Figure 7a to engage the upper flange of one of the Z-bars 29 to secure the jack.

floor being recessed for brackets 41. v 48 has its ends. secured to bracket 41 and inter- It is customary to anchor the vehicles to the car, and anchoring chains for this purpose are indicated at 45 and 46, chains 45 extending generally longitudinally of the car from the trailer to the floor to prevent too great longitudinal thrusts on the springs and tires of the vehicle, and chains 46 holding the vehicle down and preventing side sway.

Adjacent each chain 46 there is provided preferably a bracket plate 41 attached to side sill l and extending upwardly above the top of the sill and inclined inwardly beneath stringers T,

the latter and the corresponding portion of the A stirrup mediate its ends receives the end link 49 of the anchoring chain 46. Link 49 may be slid along stirrup 48 to the point most nearly opposite the point of attachment of the chain to the vehicle, thereby providing for a direct outward pull, If stirrup 48 is corrugated as shown, it will tend to resist shifting'movement of link 49 along the same. p

Usually it is desired to supplement the longitudinally extending anchoring chains 45 with chock blocks between the vehicle wheels and the car floor. Figures 9 and 10 illustrate a simple form of block 50 having an anchoring plate 5| perforated to receive a holding pin 52. The car floor is provided with a chock block supporting plate 53 having a series of apertures 54 in any one of which pin 5| may be inserted to hold the chock block against movement longitudinally of the car. Two blocks 50 may be separately secured along plates 53 to accommodate different locations of the vehicle wheel'or different sizes of wheels. I I

Figures 11 to 21 illustrate a modified structure illustrating the same general arrangement indicated in Figures 1 and 2. The portions of the floor which would support the trailer wheels are recessed as shown at 60 and a wheel seating casting or pressing BI is received in the recess and supported at the edges thereof. Chock devices 62 and 63 are hinged at 64 and 65 respectively to seat member 6! and may be swung to the wheel-engaging position shown in full lines in Figure 12, or to the positions indicated by the dot and dashlines.

Chock 62 comprises a ribbed frame and a wooden filler. When in elevated position, the frame back plate 66 rests upon the top surface of the car floor 61 with'the wooden filler 68 in position to engage a wheel resting in the curved portion 69 of the seat plate. When the chock is moved to non-functioning position, filler 68 and the ribs 10 of the frame extend downwardly into the recess afforded by the wheel seat and the outer edge "H of the back plate rests upon a suitable ledge 12 provided therefor in the wheel seat.

Chock 63 comprises a frame and a wheel-engaging device adjustably mounted thereon. The frame includes a back plate 13,- side webs 14 and an upwardly inclined front plate 15 bifurcated by a slot 16. A slide- 11 rests upon a suitable track provided therefor in the front face of plate 15 and a clamping bolt 18 extends through slide 11 and slot 16 and is provided with a clamping nut 19 whereby the slide may be held in adjusted position on plate 15. A wheel-engaging element is pivoted at 8| on slide 11 and this structure adapts the chock arrangement to firmly engage wheels of differentsizes to firmly hold the same against movement'longitudinally of the vehicle.

' When functioning as described; back plate 18 will rest upon-a horizontalporti'onflof seat mem-' ber G l. When thecheck is not in use. its up wardly" projecting portions are receivedin the-seat member recess'88" and the edge I80. of the back plate rests uponaledgefl on member 8t. When the-chock elements are i-nserted in'l the recesses 88, the pack plates Wand 18 forma smooth continuation of the floor surface over which the trailer and= itstractor may travel until the trailers are positioned near their anchoring point, whereupon the chock members 62 may be swung up into functioning position, the vehicle backed into recess 60, and chock member 631s swung into functioning position with its elements 11 and 80 adjusted to secure the wheel against movement.

The modified jack indicated in Figure 11 and detailed in Figures 18 and 19 includes a heavy braced frame comprising cross pieces 85, uprights 86 and diagonals 81, there being a pair of screws 88 threaded into supporting collars 89 carried on the framework. The cross beam or yoke 90 rests on the top of screws 88. Projecting from the bottom cross bar 85 are dowels 9I adapted to be inserted in a selected pair of openings 92 (Fig. 11) provided in floor plate 93 corresponding to plate 9 in Figures 1 and 3. By shifting elements 9 I to different pairs of openings, the jack may be placed to accommodate different lengths of vehicles. A link 94 may be provided on each side of the frame for attachment of anchoring chains to hold the jack in upright position. This jack may be placed, where required, beneath the forward portion of the trailer and screws 88 rotated separately by handles 95 to bring cross beam 90 into supporting contact with the underframe of the trailer.

The support structure for the apron 96 is shown in Figures 11, 20 and 21 in which each car end sill 91 has a bracket 98 hinged thereto and arranged to be projected outwardly from the sill beneath the apron stiffener 99 to support the apron throughout half of its length, the other half being supported on the end sill of the adjacent car. When the brackets are projected towards each other, their outer ends may be held together by dropping a key K into the opposing slots in the ends of the brackets. When not in use, brackets 98 may be moved back against the end sill and held in retracted position-by a latch plate P pivoted on the end sill.

Figures 22 to 26 illustrate a modified chock structure which may be substituted for the body of the chock shown at the left of the wheel in "Figure 12. This structure provides a greater degree of adjustment of the device than obtainable with the structure shown in Figure 12. The left hand portion I of the wheel seat member includes bearings IOI projecting outwardly from its side walls and blocks I02 are slidable along bear-- ings IOI and are retained in position thereon by cap plates I03. Bearings IN and cap plates I03 have aligned apertures I04 for receiving pins I which may be inserted through the apertures and through a corresponding opening in blocks I02, thereby holding the blocks in adjusted position lengthwise of the wheel receiving recess. The main frame member of the chock is indicated at I06 and is pivoted at I01 to sliding blocks I02. Member I08 will mount a wheel engaging element similar to that shown at 11 and 80 in Figures 12' and 14.

The various modifications may be used extensively interchangeably with each other and, if

desired,"bothformsof jacks, chock blocks and apron supports may be used on the same car.

The structure described provides for the free movement of tractors and trailers over the car from or onto a platform,ramp,"or adjacent car, and'a ready securing of the trailer Wheels in position on the car and 'adequate support for the other'e'nd of thetraile'ra All'of the securing and supportin'g parts' may be. manipulated into and out of operating position easily. The construction readilyadapts the car for vehicles having different lengths and wheel' sizea'hence the general objectives indicated at the beginning of the specification are attained. While the structure and equipment described adapt the car for a special service, the car may be utilized for the usual fiat car loadings. The chains and jack members may be removed readily or may be placed in a well in the. floor or otherwise disposed of.

All details of the drawings and description are to be considered as illustrative only and not as limiting the scope of the invention as expressed in the claims except as some of the claims are directed to specific features. Other modifications may be made freely by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention and the exclusive use of such modifications as come within the scope of the claims is contemplated.

What is claimed is:

1. In a car of the class described, a floor having a wheel receiving pit, a member pivoted to said floor at one side of said pit and movable about its pivot to a position within said pit or to a position over said floor adjacent to said pit, said member having a straight face arranged to form a continuation of the top surface of said floor when said member is in said first mentioned position or to lie along said floor when said member is in said second mentioned position, and said member having a concave face at an angle to said straight face and disposed, when said member is in the latter mentioned position, to form a chock face for a Wheel seated in said pit.

2. In a car of the class described, a floor structure provided with substantial recesses spaced apart longitudinally of the car, and chock block structures pivotally mounted on said floor and arranged to be moved about their pivots into positions in which they fit respectively in said recesses or into positions in which they project above said floor at opposite sides of one of said recesses to engage opposite edges of a wheel seated in that recess.

3. In a car of the class described, a floor member comprising an interior structure forming a recess for receiving the wheel of a vehicle carried on the car, there being a chock block structure pivoted to one side of said member and movable to a position, in which it overlies the adjacent floor section and will project upwardly therefrom to engage the edge of a wheel seated in said member, or to a position in which the wheelengaging element is received in said member and the structure forms a continuation of the floor surface, said member having a ledge spaced from the pivotal mounting of said structure to support the edge of the latter when it is swung about its pivot to the latter-mentioned position.

4. In a car of the class described, a floor portion, and a chock block member extending upwardly therefrom at an incline from the vertical, and a wheel-engaging element slidably and pivotally mounted upon said member to render the latter adjustable for tightly engaging difl'erent diameter wheels of vehicles carried by the car.

5. In a car of the class described, a floor portion, a member providing a recess in said floor portion, a chock block structure slidable along said member longitudinally of said. floor portion and pivoted on said member to swing into the depression formed by said member or upwardly and away from said depression to rest upon said floor portion.

6. In a car of the class described, a floor portion, a member providing a recess in said floor portion and having bearing'tracks at its opposite sides, blocks slidable in said bearing tracks, means forsecuring said blocks to said tracks at different points along the same, a chock block structure pivoted on said blocks and slidable therewith and movable from an upwardly projecting wheel-engaging position to a downwardly projecting position in which itmay be received in said recess.

GEO. S. GOODWIN. P. KASS. 

